Spending on diabetes treatment has nearly doubled since 2001

CHICAGO A study published in the Oct. 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine shows that spending on diabetes therapies has increased over the last several years due to the increased use of expensive drugs.

The study, by researchers at the University of Chicago Hospitals, noted that spending on diabetes drugs increased from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion last year, largely because more people use a class of drugs called glitazones, which include GlaxoSmithKline’s Avandia (rosaglitazone maleate).

Global sales of Avandia were $2 billion last year, according to GSK financial data.